Adjustable thrust-counteracting mechanism for centrifugal pumps.



G. BINGRAM.

ADJUSTABLE THRUST COUNTERACTING MECHANISM FOR CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS.

\PPLICATION FILED OCT. 17, I914.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

i .MIHIHIW HIIH'" I N b M H "M il lh id lifild.

GEORGE E. INGRAM, OF FAIRMEAD, CALIFORNIA.

ADJUSTABLE THRUST-CO'UNTERAO'II'NG MECHANISM FOR GENTRIFUGAL PUMPS.

Application filed October 1'7, 191 1.

1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. INGRAM, a citizen of the United States, residing in Fairmead, in the county of Madera and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Adjustable Thrust-Counteracting Mechanism for Centrifugal Pumps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an adjustable thrust counteracting mechanism for centrifugal pumps and the like, wherein a series of movable vanes are adjustably secured to the suction surface of the runner of a centrifugal pump and are arranged to be extended at an angle thereto; and the objects of my invention are, first, to provide improved means arranged to be detachably secured to the runner of a pump and adapted to be acted upon by the water on the suction side of the runner and to counteract the thrust: and second, to provide a series of adjustable vanes that may be secured to the suction side of the runner of a centrifugal pump and arranged to extend at an angle thereto, and at various distances therefrom. I accomplish these several features by means of the device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present specification, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar parts throughout the said specification and drawings, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the suction side of the runner of a centrifugal pump. disclosing the adjustable vanes secured thereto, the internal vanes for throwing water to the periphery of the pump being disclosed in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 of the drawings in the direction indicated by the arrows with the addition of a portion of the casing shown on the suction side of the runner. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1 of the drawings in the direction indicated by the arrows, disclosing the manner in which the vanes are secured to the surface of the suction side of the runner and the means for extending the said vanes at an angle from the surface of the said runner.

The present state of the art discloses centrifugal pumps wherein the runners are provided with a series of inclined apertures, by means of which a portion of the liquid is forced through the said inclined runners Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 1.916.

Serial No. 867,677.

and in so doing counteracts the thrust occa sioned by the suction of the liquid being pumped. The el'liciency of these inclined apertures, of course, remains fixed so that when the runner is rotating at a comparatively low rate of speed the efliux through the said inclined apertures has little or no eifect on the runner. I

I propose to provide adjustable means arranged to counteract the thrust of a centrifugal pump at diiferent speeds, which means may be described as follows:

The numeral 1 is used to designate the runner of a centrifugal pump having the usual central opening 2 and the vanes 3, said vanes 3 being shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Within the pockets between each two vanes is an inclined aperture t, within which is mounted the end 5 of the vanes 6, said ends 5 having a concayed arcuate surface, said concaved arcuate surface being arranged to form the other half of the inclined aperture 4.

The inner end of each vane 6 is rigidly secured by means of a screw 7 to a recess in the surface of the runner 1 so that the outer surfaces of the vanes 6 will normally lie iilush with the surface of the said runner A threaded stud 9 is rotatably secured within suitable threaded apertures 10 within one side of the runner 1, the head 12 of the said stud 9 being reduced so as to engage an aperture 14 within the flight 6, the diameter of the said aperture 14E being slightly greater than the diameter of the reduced portion 12 so that the flight 6 will rest upon a shoulder formed by the junction of the said reduced portion 12 and the stud 9.

Assuming the threaded apertures on the stud 9 to be right-handed, by turning the said stud 9 to the left it will be readily observed that the ends 5 of the vanes 6 will be projected beyond the surface of the runner 1 and at an angle thereto, as disclosed in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

The operation is as follows: The runner 1 is rotated in the direction indicated by the large curved arrow in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The resistance or suction occasioned by the water being raised through the suction pipe 16 will tend to thrust the runner 1 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 of the drawings. As the annular chamber 17 which occurs between the suc-,

tion side of the runner 1 and the suctionapertures 4-, said pressure tending to act onthe'inclinedsurface of the ends 5 of themembers *6 and thereby-increase the inclination thereof which increased inclination will be acted upon by the water in'the chamber 17 as hereinbefore described.

It is obvious that the proportion'of the counteracting effect of thevanes to the suction will be in direct proportion to the inclination; of the varies and the speed at which the runner is rotatingz Ifit-is found that the thrust is not entirely overcome, the, counteracting force may be increased by turningall' of the studs 9 tothe left, which will extend the free ends of the vanes 6 farther beyond the surface of the runner 1, thereby increasing the-inclination of the said vanes 6 to the surface of the said runner 1.

It is obvious from the foregoing that I have provided improved adjustable mechanism for counteracting the thrust occasioned by the suction or resistance of a liquid in a centrifugal pump.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. The combination with the runner of a centrifugal pump; of adjustable vanes secured to the suction side of the runner and at angles thereto and adapted to counteract the thrust on the said runner.

2. The 'combination'*with the runner of a centrifugal pump, of adjustable vanes secured to the suction side of the runner and at angles thereto and adapted to counteract M. C. KENTON, J F. NELSON.

Copies'of this patent may'b' obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D10. 

